The Darkness
by Chris Boyce
Summary: A dark what-if tale of plotting and intrigue set a little after the events of Simba's Pride. Can Kiara and Simba really trust Kovu? Who was Kovu's father if not Scar? Don't expect a happy ending...
1. Chapter 1

**In the Darkness**

Time, it is said, is a great healer. There was much to be healed. The Pride Lands spread out below the great rock, home to the pride of lion that had, for as long as anyone could remember, ruled the lands fairly and wisely. Yet injustice and brutality had blackened the lands for a time, leaving the great lands of the prides rent in two. Two which became one once more. One in name, but two still in heart and thought. How much time would be needed to heal the rift between Pridelander and Outlander? If indeed it could ever be healed? How wide was the river that flowed between lion and lion; Simba and Kovu; and who could gaze upon it from high enough to take in all its bends and turns in one eye? The river rose in darkness and slipped along the borders of the Pride Lands and on into the dawn. No one knew whether it flowed into the sea of peace, or the gulf of turmoil, or even that rivers were eventually swallowed by the oceans at all. To the lions of Pride Lands and Outlands alike, the river was unending. Unchanging but ever flowing, at times carrying everything along in its terrifying lust to consume, at others sliding by in serene calm. Time was on the river's side, it knew it would last out the lions ten thousand fold and more. It knew it could unleash forces so powerful that nothing - no animal or even mountain - could withstand. The seasons, such as they were on the Pride Lands, were marked by the rise and fall of the river and a flood was coming that threatened to sweep away the lions of Pride Rock. No one saw it coming - not the king, Simba, his aide Zazu, nor even the wise and sighted Rafiki. Yet coming it was, a flood so high as to block out the sun in a darkness so dense that it might engulf all those who so much as glimpsed it.

"She was weak. She didn't know when to stop, she got what she deserved."

"How can you say that about our mother?"

The cave was dark, the pride was asleep except for two who talked in the hushed tones of conspirators.

"Easy. She was way too old anyhow. If Kiara hadn't done it I'd have done it soon enough." The female almost laughed, "The way she used to talk you'd have thought Scar was still alive."

"He is, in our memories. He will rule again, one day."

"When's that then?"

The male lowered his voice until it almost melted into the rock of the walls. "When Simba's dead of course."

"And when will that be?" asked his sister sinisterly. She held her head straight against the shaft of moonlight which pierced the dense darkness of the cave. It caressed her cheek.

"Soon. Very soon, the time is almost right. Mother's plan will soon be fulfilled." He sighed inwardly.

"What are you waiting for?"

Vitani was careful not to use her brother's name, in case there was someone else half-awake in the cave.

"He trusts me! His dear sweet daughter actually thinks she loves me!"

Vitani's eyes glinted, caught momentarily in the shaft. "For a while I even thought you loved her too. That was some act you put on. You're good my little brother. I didn't think I'd ever say it, but you're very good indeed."

"Yeah, it's amazing what creativeness can come from a little lust for power." He smiled. "She'll want me soon, in a few days she'll be mine. Once my cubs are on their way I'll do what I have to with Simba. Once they are born I'll make sure you will be the one they call 'mother'. I'll keep my promise to you."

"Why Zira was right! You do have Scar's conniving mind, you really do. I love it!" She caught herself as her voice began to carry into the rest of the cave. She dropped it back to a whisper, "I never expected you to keep your promise like that though. When you said you'd give me cubs I had something else in mind." Vitani laughed, almost the self-conscious giggle of a young cub. A slight movement a few lengths away silenced her. She froze; the movement grew into a lioness' yawn. She closed her eyes for a moment then slipped back into the shadows, leaving her brother alone.

"Kovu? Kovu, is that you?"

He sighed silently, a somewhat pained sigh as if prompted by an annoying ache that wouldn't go away.

"Kovu?" came the voice again.

"Yes Kiara my love, Its me."

"What are you doing? Where are you?"

He lifted himself up from the stone floor and threaded his way back through the sleeping pride to his mate's side saying, "I couldn't sleep. I just can't stop thinking of you and how soon we'll be able to..."

"Then stop thinking about it and come outside with me."

Kovu stopped, his forepaw held in the air over a lioness' hindquarters.

"Come on, I've need you to do something that'll take those thoughts right out of your mind."

He watched Kiara as she rose to her paws and lead off towards the cave entrance. Silently, and under the cover of the shadows, he lifted his head and thought, "Now mother, it is time. Soon it will be Simba's time too." He chuckled, being careful to make it sound playful.

Together, the pair slipped away into the night watched only by the smiling Vitani.…

* * *

><p>"Kovu. You and I are all that keeps this pride from harm. I don't know if I can keep this up alone for much longer." Simba sounded strained, as if the pressures of a ruling the kingdom he had taken back from his uncle Scar were becoming too much.<p>

"What harm, Simba? What can happen to us? My… my mother's gone - what else can happen."

"I don't know Kovu. I can feel something; its coming but I don't smell what it is, but I know its close. I can almost feel it on my whiskers."

"Maybe you just need a rest." Kovu added a moment later, "Say, how about letting me handle things around here for a while?"

"No Kovu. Thank you, but no. This is still my kingdom and I've got to rule it. You'll get your chance soon enough, you and Kiara. But you've both still got a lot to learn." Simba's voice rose, as if his spirit was welling up within his heart. "I've got to teach you all about the hyenas yet."

"Aww, Simba! Not now. I've got to go down the waterhole with Kiara right now. Will it keep for later?"

Simba smiled. "Yes, it'll keep. It is the waterhole you're going to isn't it?"

"Yeah."

Simba's smile broke into a laugh, "That's what I was afraid of! Go on - have fun. And if you can't be good..." but Kovu was already more than a length away.

"I know. Simba - I know!" Kovu said as he raced away joyously.

Simba turned for Pride Rock, shaking his head, saying, "Cubs? Who'd have 'em?"

* * *

><p>The cool morning turned lazily into a hot noon. The day slipped past like any other for Simba in a haze of sleeping, dozing and scratching. Nothing much ever happened in such sultry heat. Dreams crept into Simba's hazy mind: half-heard talk of betrothals and the half-feigned disgust that greeted it.<p>

Kiara was not much like her father, he thought as morning gave way to afternoon. He had long since realised that she wasn't going to do a thing that he told her. So he had, it must be said after a long time of fruitless insistence trying, let her have her head. It looked like she was soon to reward her father's lenience with cubs of her own. Her own, and Kovu's that is. Simba thought Kovu was likeable enough, and ordinarily Simba would have had no problems with having him as a mate to his daughter, but these were not ordinary times. Kovu had come to the pride supposedly as a friend, then it appeared that he had turned against Simba - betrayed him to Zira. Then he had come back to fight for the pride once more. He said he loved Kiara, then again a lot of lions said a lot of things about lionesses without ever really meaning them or even understanding what they really meant. Kovu would probably be the king of Pride Rock at the sunset of Simba's rule. Knowing that the pride would be in safe paws should have comforted Simba, instead he just kept on wondering how safe those paws really were. If there was even a hint of the darkness of Scar's soul in his chosen heir then Pride Rock itself might even crumble to dust during his reign. Simba had to know, he had to find out for once and for all. He had to pull back the curtains of Kovu's heart and look into the darkness beyond.

Simba rose suddenly. His mane felt cold and damp. He was shivering yet the sun burned down upon the sleeping pride scattered about the acacia grove. His heart pounded within his chest, his legs ached as if he had been hunting all night. His skin felt clammy under its short, fine fur. He looked around, feeling driven to flee from some imagined foe. There was none, but that could not stop the surge of feelings within him. His breath shortened, his heartbeat quickened, yet there was no enemy to fight, no threat to run from. He flicked his ears from side to side distractedly, his eyes following momentarily behind.

"Zazu," he said sharply under his fluttering breath. "He'll know. He'll know!"

* * *

><p>Through her shallow sleep Sarabi felt something brush on her exposed belly and roughly push aside her hind legs. She called out - a short grunted growl - but no one answered. By the time she had woken enough to focus her eyes all they viewed were shade-dappled forms of sleeping lionesses and the gently waving grasses of the open ground beyond. She drifted back into sleep.<p>

* * *

><p>"Mom, I know I should trust him, but I just can't."<p>

"What is it about him that you can't trust?"

"I don't know. That's it - I just don't know him. I can't trust what I don't know, it frightens me."

"You have to follow your heart, and your instincts Simba. Trust in yourself, and trust in others will come to you."

"I know I can trust you..."

"I'm your mother. If you can't trust me who can you? But its not just about trust Simba, is it?"

"No… I guess not..."

"It's about letting go, and it's about love too. You do love Kiara don't you?"

"Yes, mother, of course. What parent doesn't love their cub?"

"You'd be surprised Simba. Open your eyes. Did Zira love Kovu? I mean really love him? What if he loved her?"

"Mother? What are you saying? You can't mean… No, you can't, surely?"

"I thought you said you didn't trust him? Now you do all of sudden? Which is it to be Simba?"

"Ok, ok. I get the idea.…"

"And anyway, What brought this on all of a sudden?" Sarabi looked deep into her son's eyes. "What is troubling you Simba? Where were you going in such a hurry this afternoon?"

For a second Simba's mind seemed to tussle with itself. His tail tip twitched; he sat down self-consciously as if to stop it betraying him. He turned his head away, then stopped, letting his head drop slightly as he turned back to face his mother.

"He wasn't with Kiara this morning." He seemed unlikely to say anymore, at least not without a little motherly prompting.

"...and?"

"He said he was going to the waterhole to see Kiara. I thought, 'Ok, let them have some private time to themselves'" Simba smiled. Sarabi thought he was probably remembering his times alone with Nala. "But later - this afternoon that is - I ask Zazu if he's seen or heard from Kovu. He says he saw him and a lioness by the waterhole that morning - This morning. 'Ok' I said, 'that must have been Kiara', "Oh no sire" Zazu says, "no, no. It certainly wasn't Kiara. No, no, it was that… now what's her name..." 'Sarafina?' I said. "No sire! That, err, Vitana - that's the one." 'Vitan-i?' I asked him if he couldn't have made a mistake, but no, you know what he's like. He got all flustered as if I'd insulted him or something."

"So? What's wrong with that?" asked Sarabi. "He can see his own sister can't he? You would, if you'd have had one."

"Yes mom, sure, but that's not all. Then Zazu says as he was flying away - he's sure he wasn't seen by them. He says we lions never look up! - he sees this other lioness."

"Young Kiara, I presume."

"No, Zazu's never seen this one before. He's no idea who she was. She looked a bit like Zira, but not so... what was that he said? Ah yes, not so 'scrawny'."

"An Outlander surely?" Sarabi said tilting her head to avoid a shaft of burning sunlight, "But didn't they all join our pride or leave the Pride Lands altogether?"

"Yes. So who is she? What's she doing here and why was she with Kovu and Vitani?"

"We don't know she did meet Kovu and Vitani, do we? Didn't you say Zazu saw her sometime later?"

"Yes, but not much later. Don't you see? They must have met! Something's going on, and I'm sure that Kovu's at the bottom of it."

"Can you sort it out Simba?"

Simba smiled reassuringly.

"You be careful and don't go taking any unnecessary risks - you hear?"

"Come on Mom, I'm a big lion now, if you hadn't noticed. Let me deal with this my way, won't you?" He fell silent. Sarabi smiled gently. Then he added "But just in case, there's something I need to ask you to do for me."

"Simba, I'm only your mother..."

"Yes, but, well do you remember when I was a cub? You'd always be right where I wasn't supposed to be. Remember? Even in the darkness you'd be there. You are good at that - slinking around."

"Simba!"

"Well, you are, admit it. At least you were..."

"I can still slink with the best of them!" She said smiling with raise eye ridges.

"I thought so. Now listen carefully..."

Sarabi listened carefully to Simba as around them darkness fell; the last light of day reluctantly giving up its place to the impatient pall of night.

"There's just one more thing. You… and Sarafina.… if it came to it - and it won't of course, but if it did... you two could take him down couldn't you? Only if it was really necessary?"

"Take down Kovu? Possibly. But that won't be necessary, Simba, I'm sure. Talk - talk to him. Go on! Hunt down whatever it is between you and him and drag it out into the open and take it down. If he really has got a dark secret buried away dig it out and let it die in the light of the sun. And while you're at it you can tell Nala all about it too. She needs to hear this more than I. She's your mate, I'm just your old mother. No go on with you, go and play!"

"Mom!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Approaching Darkness**

Kiara stubbornly refused to believe that Kovu could ever do anything to harm the pride. No matter what her father said about Kovu, she refused to believe ill of her mate. He loved her, and she loved him, and he could do no wrong in her mate's adoring eyes. She said she had indeed seen Kovu that morning by the waterhole just as he'd said he would. She said they had met, exchanged unspoken moments of love, and parted to go about the daily business of the pride. She had left to hunt, leaving him standing gazing at her longingly until she had disappeared from sight over Long Ridge. She also said she'd not seen any other lionesses that day, and if she had seen any other lions then they had all taken on the image of her Kovu.

Simba felt he had no choice than to believe her. That did not mean that he no longer believed Zazu. It meant that Zazu must have seen something that had happened after Kiara had left Kovu. What had Vitani been up to? More importantly who was the unknown lioness, and what was her business here in the Pride Lands? Maybe, Simba thought, she was just passing through and had not encountered Kovu at all. It was not impossible for her to have been a lone lioness, one of the many who wandered the savannah in the slim hope of finding of a pride who'd let them join.

Outside of a pride lionesses had little chance of having cubs; lone males had a much better chance of fathering cubs. These isolated, often bitter, devious and resourceful, lionesses posed little threat to well established prides. Or did they? Zira had been one, though she was different, she was the exception that proved the rule - she had had cubs. There was little doubt they were her own, anyone could have seen that. That difference had been all important and had weighed heavily in her favour as Scar, the pride's male at the time of her arrival, had taken pity on her - in one of his few considerate moments - and taken her in, cubs and all. At the time his motive appeared clear, he appeared genuinely concerned for her welfare. His mask soon slipped and it steadily became obvious that he was far more interested in Zira's cubs than he was in her. One cub, the youngest, especially caught his eye. Perhaps it was his remarkable similarity in appearance to Scar himself, a similarly that Zira was eventually to make even more remarkable. His name was Kovu and while he was not of Scar's blood there were many, many times when that seemed hard to many, Simba especially, not to forget. Yet the fact remained that Kovu was not Scar's blood son. It appeared that there never could have been any true son of Scar. Scar, while he tried to impose his will in practically all matters, by violence if necessary, could never persuade any lionesses to like him, still less to mate with him. The cold hard truth was that had Scar continued as king the pride would have died as without cubs there was no future. Zira had offered herself to Scar, though there was some doubt as to whether he had accepted the challenge. Whether it was her advanced years, or some unknown weakness of the king, no one knew. All knew however that she never gave Scar a blood heir.

Time was moving on for Simba, and he used it to try to understand Kovu better. Following his talk with Kiara he tried to let go of his fears about Kovu. Simba felt uncomfortable about it, as it felt too familiar - he had done it all before. He used the same method to gain his trust of Kovu as he had done once before; he took him patrolling the pride's boundary. He hoped, as the last time, that it would give him a chance to talk to Kovu lion to lion. He also hoped he might grow to understand more about why he so feared him.

For time Kovu trudged sullenly alongside Simba. Once out of sight of Pride Rock Kovu changed dramatically. He suddenly became eager to talk. It was as if a dam had broken in the river of darkness and the built-up head slipped out in an all consuming rush to be free. The tale he told, of his mother in part, but of siblings Vitani and Nuka mostly, chilled Simba's heart. Zira had never loved Kovu, or so he said, "She just wanted me for what she could get from me. That time when I first met Kiara and you came and broke us up - you remember? She just used me to get at you. She wouldn't have cared if you had killed me, that's what she wanted you to do. She wanted an excuse to get back at you. My death would have been the excuse she needed."

"What happened to you after that?"

"To my mother I became nothing more than a weapon of her vengeance." Kovu stopped walking and looked down at the ground. He hesitated before continuing. "I didn't want to at first, but later I came to feel that it was more than just my duty to be that weapon, I actually desired and needed to be. I really thought I loved my mother. Can you believe that?"

Simba turned and drew close to Kovu. He pressed his cheek against Kovu's neck. "I'm sure you still do love her. There's nothing wrong with a son loving his mother, no matter what that mother is like. Kovu, you can go on loving Zira, and you can go on loving Kiara. There's nothing to stop you loving anyone. Just don't confuse love with anything else. I think Zira confused love with obsession and with hate."

"But she brought me up to do one thing. To kill you. I failed her because you're still alive."

"Do you want to put that right? Do you still want to live up to her expectations?"

Kovu paused, looking straight past Simba.

"I don't know what I want anymore, other than to be with Kiara."

"I'm not blind Kovu. I can see what you and Vitani are up to."

"You can?"

"Oh yes, and I'm not going to let it go on any longer. I've already wasted too much time."

Kovu's voice thinned and wavered. "What do you mean to do?"

The king stood firmly, lifting his head toward Pride Rock. He roared proudly. Kovu shrank back instinctively and shivered.

"I'm going to make you king of Pride Rock, Kovu!"

"King?" Kovu seemed shocked.

"King - yes Kovu, king. All this will be yours very soon. I'm not as young as I used to be. If I ever meet a strong young rival I'd be bound to come off worst. But you Kovu, you are young and strong. You can keep the Pride Lands safe." Kovu looked quizzically at Simba. "Can't you? Its not as if you weren't trained to be king. I wasn't but you were. I never really learned how to fight, but you were trained to."

"B… But..." stammered Kovu.

"What's wrong Kovu? Isn't this what Zira brought you up to do? To take over Pride Rock in my place?"

"No, she trained me to kill you. That was all. She hardly ever mentioned what would happen afterwards! I was to kill you and that was all I was for in her eyes. I'm a killer, nothing else! Nothing! Hate and kill, hate and kill, hate and kill - that's all she ever taught me to do."

"And yet in all that hating you came to love Kiara didn't you? And do you still hate me, the one you were meant to kill?"

"I… I… I don't know. I just don't know… I can't love Kiara can I? I love Vitani don't I?"

"Of course you love your sister, but you don't want to be the father of her cubs do you?"

"I don't..."

"No, of course not," said Simba cutting him short. "You can see your sister is having trouble fitting into the pride. It's natural for you to want to help her. I know she sometimes still thinks of completing her mother's work one day."

"How can you know that?"

"As I said, I'm not blind, or deaf, and I don't sleep always as soundly as I did as a cub."

Kovu fell silent, letting his ears drop back. Simba went on.

"She turned too fast. One moment she was right there by her mother's side, next thing she's all for the Pride Lands. No one changes sides that fast Kovu, no one. I felt she was putting it on to save her skin right from the beginning. I knew she still hated me and if she got half a chance she'd kill me so I kept my eye on her."

"And what about me?"

"You? It was clear that you loved Kiara, you couldn't fake that Kovu. I might be older now, and maybe I don't sleep too good sometimes, but I can still feel love and see it in others. I can also see you want the pride to go on. Whether it's for Zira's sake or Kiara's sake makes no difference, you want the pride to succeed and to live, and you can make it happen. I can see it in Kiara."

"See what?" Kovu's look of fear subsided, but had not yet been replaced by one of confidence.

"You have her in cub don't you?"

"Well… I..." Kovu tried to turn away.

"Embarrassed you have I? Why? Because I'm old enough to be your father? You think we oldies don't know about getting lionesses in cub don't you? Look here, where do you think Kiara came from?"

Simba nudged his head forward and licked Kovu's neck.

"Get off me Simba! What do you think you're doing? That's gross!"

"Don't you do that to Kiara then?" Simba said playfully. "I bet you got Kiara in cub but you don't know how you did it!"

"I do too!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Go on then. You tell me all about it."

"Well, I don't know I ought to."

"Why not? I'm a grown lion, you're a grown lion. There's no one else around. What's stopping you?"

"You're her father!"

"So there's not a lot about Kiara I don't know is there? Kovu, you and I have really got to talk! now then..."

As the two lions approached Pride Rock later that morning, Kovu turned from Simba's side and slipped away "to find Kiara" he put it. Simba padded up the side of the promontory, stopping for a moment to remember the day he'd watched Kiara go off on her first solo hunt. Smiling, more at his own foolishness than anything else, he pressed forward to the cave mouth in the hope of sleeping through the fierce heat of midday.

* * *

><p>"When?" Silence. "Well, when does the furball die?"<p>

"Leave it Vitani. He's on to you."

"No! He's on to us you mean. You've got to get rid of him today. Then you will be king of Pride Rock, just like mother always wanted."

"I'll be king anyway. And he trusts me, but he knows you want him dead."

"And his dear sweet daughter."

"Leave her."

"What?" Vitani looked piercingly at her brother. "She's got to die too, that's only fair after what she did to mother."

"I said leave her."

"Kovu - you don't really have..." she shivered, "'feelings' for her? If you don't kill her, I will!"

"She's with cub Vitani. Leave her alone, do you hear?" Kovu's voice grew colder.

"Ooo, the termite does have feelings for the runt. She's with my cub don't forget."

"Any cubs of Kiara's have nothing to do with you. Leave her, and her cubs well alone. If I even so much as smell you anywhere near Kiara ever again I'll tear you apart!"

Vitani laughed straining Kovu's patience beyond the limits of his endurance. A blackness welled up in him, blocking out his reason and obscuring his senses. Uncontrollably powerful instincts unsheathed like claws in his heart. He felt as though he couldn't breathe; as if something unimaginably heavy was crushing his chest and throat. He felt he was fighting to stay alive; fighting, fighting, fighting a foe so mighty that all would be consumed by its strength. He lashed out at it.

With the single announced blow he sent his sister reeling. Without even unsheathing his claws he had opened up a gash as long as her tail tip in her shoulder. His dark adversary laughed.

"Don't you forget that Vitani," he snarled after her, "Don't you ever forget."

Vitani stared at her brother in total disbelief mingled with searing pain. She seemed afraid to move. She lifted herself slightly, Kovu growled and flicked his paw at her again, sending her flinching back to the earth, ears flattened tightly. Thus time she stayed down.

Kovu backed away, but before turning to leave he uttered just one phrase.

"He dies tomorrow."

* * *

><p>"Well Simba? Did you talk to him?"<p>

"Yes, Mom. I talked to him."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me about how Zira and the others treated him, and how they taught him only how to fight and hate. Do you know that before he met Kiara he didn't even know how to play?"

"Does he now?"

"I guess so, Mom. I still can't trust him with my heart, but I do like him really. He just looks so much like Scar now. Even more so with a scar of his own. And I still can't face the idea of him… you know - alone… with Kiara."

Sarabi nodded in silent agreement.

"He's coming out with me again today. We won't be long, it's getting too hot to be out there all morning."

"What are you going to do Simba?"

"Do? Nothing. I've told him I'll make him king soon, but I haven't said how soon. If puts as much effort into being king as he does in loving Kiara I guess Pride Rock'll be safe enough."

"What about you? What'll you do when Kovu becomes king?"

"I'll just wander off into the sunset with Nala. I've always wanted to do that, just walk away and follow the sun leaving all the worries of the kingdom behind. Hakuna matata! Do you think that's wrong?"

"Simba, if it's what you want then it must be right for you. I can't say everyone will think it's right."

"Tomorrow..." mused Simba as he got up, "tomorrow is going to be a special day for the pride. I just know it will."


	3. Chapter 3

**Descending Darkness**

Moonset. Kovu sat enveloped by darkness and looked up to the stars. He cried to himself for a time, his fur soaking up his tears.

"Why? Why do I have to do this? Mother, tell me why!"

The stars remained silent and unmoving.

"You taught me to hate, and I can't... I can't do it any more. I can't do all the lies, the deceit, the always looking behind me. Please tell me I don't have to do it. Please!"

An arm slung over his shoulders, holding him.

A quiet chuckle. "She can't answer you know."

Kovu slumped down, defeated.

"The great kings are up there. Kings, not queens."

"Rafiki, I can't ask a king."

"No? Why not? Your father, he was a king you know."

"I don't know who he was."

"No? Oh dear, you lions you know, none of you ever know who your father is."

"Eh?"

"Simba, he was confused too."

Kovu looked up at the mandrill.

"Scar wasn't my father."

"Wasn't he? Who told you that eh? Come on, tell Rafiki the truth."

"Mother. She always said he wasn't my father."

"Oh... Strange, I always knew he was. Who else could he be?"

"Vitani and Nuka's father."

"Giza? You know,I heard he was not the sort of lion you'd want as a father."

"And Scar was?"

"Compared to Giza, Scar was a cub on his birthday. Giza had the blackest mane and the hardest fur this side of the mountains, but that wasn't why they called him Giza: The Darkness. No, it was his heart, as cold and black as the mountain tops. His blood ran thicker than mud. I never met him and I never want to meet him, I want to live!" The mandrill rubbed his hand over the young lion's shoulder. "So, lad, who do you want your father to be? He can be whoever you want you know. Life is about your choices, not about how you were born."

Kovu thought. Zira had told him so many lies, so much untruth. What if she had lied about Scar too?

* * *

><p>Dawn. A chill hung in the air. The savannah; always alive, even in the depths of night; lay beneath a still blanket of mist watched benignly by Pride Rock as it basked in the sharp light of the fresh day. Through the mist two lions walked silently, purposefully following tracks sensed only by them. The darkness of night had lifted, for them their day was nearly done, yet there was still one more task to be undertaken; one that needed daylight. Like the new dawn, new light had been shed on the mysterious lioness. Zazu had seen her again, uncomfortably close to Pride Rock for Simba's liking. He and Kovu had gone out late that night to track her down. They had picked up her scent less than fifty lengths to the south of the rock and following it, they set off into the night. As they walked, behind them the glow of morning grew, chasing the depths of the night's darkness. Together, working as one, they closed on their quarry. Every step brought them closer together. Every step brought them closer.…<p>

* * *

><p>The morning heat was rapidly building when Sarabi stepped out of the cave. She idly wondered whether the new lioness would be a good huntress. Kiara, it appeared, was not cut out for the chase. Whether she lacked the determination, aggression or simply the heart for the kill, Sarabi could not tell. She smiled, thinking of the now past times when Nala's mother Sarafina had hunted with her regularly. Sarafina felt her age more than Sarabi, and was more often found asleep on the rock than out hunting. While no one begrudged her her well earned rest, it left a void at Sarabi's side that Nala had been reluctant to fill.<p>

What would this lioness be like? Would she want to join the pride? Lone lionesses were renowned for their prowess at the chase. They had to be to survive for long alone, even in the comparatively rich pickings of the Pride Lands.

"No one could replace you Sarafina," Sarabi said under her breath as she padded up to the promontory, "Not even your own daughter." She was there for no particular reason, other than, maybe to stretch her ageing legs a little. She looked out over the edge tentatively. She, like most lions and lionesses, was frightened by the seemingly mountainous drop to the rocks below. She suddenly felt too close to the edge and stepped back, closing her eyes to block out her fear. When she opened them her fear grew a thousand fold.

"No! It can't be!" She backed away. Her voice tremoured, "Nala!" It gathered strength. "Sarafina! Kiara! Come, come quickly!" A lioness rushed to her side.

"What is it?" Nala said, hurriedly scanning the plain. Her ears sprang up as she sighted Kovu, alone; his stride broken and faltering. Even at this considerable distance dark patches were clearly visible on his closest shoulder and flank. Dark red patches. One ear hung loose, almost ripped through where it disappeared into his mane. He stumbled, picking himself up obviously in considerable pain. "Where's Simba?" she asked anxiously. "Where's Simba!"

"He's done it, Nala. He's done it," was all the reply Sarabi gave.

"Who's done what?"

"Kovu. He's killed our Simba."

"Kovu? Killed Simba? Why? Whatever for? No, Sarabi, he can't have..." She paused for a moment then added desperately, "can he?"

"Get the pride together."

Nala stood still, staring at Kovu as his halting steps drew him closer to Pride Rock.

"Go Nala! Wake them. Kick them, roar at them, bite them. Do whatever you must, but get them together now! I'll be back."

"Sarabi!" Nala called as Sarabi rushed away, "Where are you going?" She received no answer. She watched for a short while as Sarabi ran off to one side, skirting wide around Kovu's track. Then turning, padding her paws urgently yet indecisively on the hard rock, she went back into the cave. Kiara's yelping rang out over the plain as Nala woke her using the last of Sarabi's suggested methods.

* * *

><p>Sarabi had appeared to have taken Kovu's return, lame and injured, very badly. The shock of loosing her son for a second time, and to intrigue and betrayal again, drastically unsettled her. The pride was assembled below the promontory (Kiara had not yet got over the shock of being woken quite so violently by her mother) by the time Kovu arrived at the rock. They stared silently as he approached. The full extent of his injuries was now painfully clear. There was a barely a patch on him that was not scratched, bruised, torn or gashed. He was evidently in a lot of pain, but he bore it with strength of will that was apparent to all. He was not beaten; he was proudly defiant of his wounds. Nala found it almost impossible to believe that Simba would have inflicted such a mauling, and Kovu's proud air only strengthened her resolve to give him the benefit of the doubt and find out what had really happened. Her Simba was alive, she knew he was.<p>

Sarabi had still not returned, so it was Nala who stepped forward to meet Kovu. She didn't know what to say, and was relieved when Kovu broke the uncomfortable silence.

"We're all in grave danger."

The assembled pride remained silent.

"We must leave now, unless you want to stay and fight."

"Fight what?" asked Sarafina.

"They are coming. They want Pride Rock. They will kill us all if we stay here."

"Who will kill us? Who exactly are 'they'?"

"I don't know," Kovu's voice carried a desperate edge. "I don't know. But they want to take Pride Rock and they will I tell you!"

"That's what you and Simba are here for: to protect and increase the pride."

"I can't. You can see that surely?" The desperation grew. "I met one of their lionesses. Just one! She's dead now, but I only just held her off and escaped with my life! They'll be here soon, all of them, more than us even. They won't stop just because of one death."

"Who are they?" demanded Sarafina.

"You don't understand. This is Zira's pride, her sisters, brothers and aunts: all of them. They came here when they found out she'd died. They are going to revenge her death and take what she wanted - this rock. We aren't strong enough to stop them."

"With Simba we will be," said Nala.

"Kovu, where is Simba?" asked Sarafina sternly.

"I don't know..." said Kovu painfully, "He told me to come back to warn the pride. Then I met this lioness. I just don't know where Simba is now!"

"I do!" said a voice from behind them. The lionesses turned as one. Sarabi padded down from the rocks; the lionesses drawing back to let her through. Kovu watched sadly as she approached him. Her eyes burned with a fire as bright as the sun. "Simba is dead." Kovu made no attempt to answer. Sarabi lashed out a forepaw at him, catching his shoulder.

"No, he isn't! I tell you he was alive when I last saw him."

"He's dead! Admit it you treacherous liar! You killed him."

"No! No, I didn't. He's alive I tell you. I didn't do it. I didn't do it!" Kovu backed away in panic. Sarabi pressed forwards, calling for the others to join her. "My son is dead. I've seen his body. You killed him. This is his blood you wear! You killed my son."

"And my mate," said Nala as she moved forwards on Kovu.

"And my father," said Kiara as she too joined the mob converging on the terror stricken Kovu. The cubs she carried had suddenly become fatherless in her eyes. It was only moments before they became fatherless in the eyes of the whole pride. Weakened by a desperate struggle for survival once already that day, Kovu succumbed quickly. He died near where his adoptive father had fallen. Both taken down by those they had called friends, both dying desperately pleading their innocence.

**Darkness Reigns**

Later that day Giza walked upon the face of the plain, his mud dark mane set thick and tight about his taut neck. He came across a young bloody male, conveniently already dead, saving him the effort of his second male kill of the day. He looked on the body coldly, only then noticing with a slight flicker of interest that it was his one-time mate's youngest son.

He picked his way between the rocks to the promontory of the massive rock. His lionesses walked silently behind. His thin muzzle and almost pointed nose seemed almost out of place against his massive forequarters, built up by almost countless fights. He had been told to expect more resistance, but the few lioness of the pride; there were no males to oppose him; seemed demoralised and weak. They appeared to have had the fight knocked out of them already. One was visibly pregnant. Giza wondered whether he'd wait for her cubs to be born, then kill them and mate with their mother. When her spirit and protective instincts flared up and she glared defiantly at him as he stood on the flat of the rock, he struck her, sending her reeling. Yes, her cubs would not live, that was certain. For now, she could live: there were enough lionesses besides her, all ripe for the picking.

A small group of those lionesses cowered in the depths of the cave. He approached slowly, seeking out any who might oppose him. One stepped forward. She had not the desperate look of her companions. She seemed almost defiant as if she enjoyed defeat. He stopped before her, raising a foreleg with outstretched claws held from a blooded paw. A whimper floated out of the blackness.

"You did well Vitani - just as I'd expect my daughter to. It's..." He paused, chewing the words in his throat, "...unfortunate you couldn't turn that Kovu too. I should have known: he was no son of mine. He showed so much promise once..."


End file.
